Manga like KATSU!

Hajime no Ippo

Also known as Hajime no Ippo: Fighting Spirit!.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Action , Comedy , Drama , Sports

Makunouchi Ippo has been bullied his entire life. Constantly running errands and being beaten up by his classmates, Ippo has always dreamed of changing himself, but never has the passion to act upon it. One day, in the midst of yet another bullying, Ippo is saved by Takamura Mamoru, who happens to be a boxer. Ippo faints from his injuries and is brought to Takamura boxing gym to recover. As he regains consciousness, he is awed and amazed at his new surroundings in the gym, though lacks confidence to attempt anything. Takamura places a photo of Ippo’s classmate on a punching bag and forces him to punch it. It is only then that Ippo feels something stir inside him and eventually asks Takamura to train him in boxing. Thinking that Ippo does not have what it takes, Takamura gives him a task deemed impossible and gives him a one week time limit. With a sudden desire to get stronger, for himself and his hard working mother, Ippo trains relentlessly to accomplish the task within the time limit. Thus Ippo’s journey to the top of the boxing world begins.



Tags: Boxing , Shounen , Male Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast , Primarily Adult Cast , Ensemble Cast , Coming of Age , Bullying , Delinquents , Heterosexual

Touch

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Romance , Slice of Life , Sports

The story centers around three characters - Uesugi Kazuya, his twin older brother Tatsuya, and Asakura Minami. Kazuya is the darling of his town as he's talented, hardworking, and the ace pitcher for his middle school baseball team. Tatsuya is a hopeless slacker who's been living the life of giving up the spotlight to Kazuya, despite the fact that he may be more gifted than him. Minami is the beautiful childhood girlfriend and for all intents, sister from next door who treats both of them as equals. Society largely assumes Kazuya and Minami will become the perfect couple, including Tatsuya. Yet as time progresses, Tatsuya grows to realize that he's willing to sacrifice anything for the sake of his brother, except at the expense of giving up Minami to Kazuya. And thus the story is told of Tatsuya trying to prove himself over his established younger brother, how it affects the relationship between the three, and both brothers' attempts to make Minami's lifelong dreams come true.

Tags: Baseball , Coming of Age , Primarily Teen Cast , School , Shounen , Twins , Athletics , Boxing , Heterosexual , Tragedy , Love Triangle

Ashita no Joe

Also known as Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life , Sports

Joe Yabuki is a troubled young man who runs away from an orphanage. Wandering through the Tokyo slums, he meets former boxing trainer Danpei. Joe is later arrested and goes to a temporary jail where he fights Nishi, his future best friend, ​and leader of a group of hooligans. He and Nishi then go to a juvenile prison miles away from Tokyo. There Joe meets Rikiishi, a former boxing prodigy, and a rivalry develops between them. They face each other in a match in which Rikiishi dominates Joe until the latter hits him with a cross-counter, resulting in both being knocked out. This inspires the other prison inmates to take up boxing. Joe and Rikiishi vow to fight again.



Tags: Tragedy , Boxing , Coming of Age , Male Protagonist , Rehabilitation , Orphan , Urban , Athletics , Class Struggle , Primarily Male Cast , Shounen , Delinquents , Prison , Foreign , Yakuza , War

1-Pound no Fukuin

Also known as One♥Pound Gospel.

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Romance , Sports

Times are tough at Mukaida's Gym. Though a promising novice with a surprise win in his debut bout, Kosaku has since adopted a steady regimen of extremely unhealthy eating habits--enough to make his coach ready to permanently throw in the towel. Sister Angela hopes her teachings will help Kosaku see the error of his misguided ways. But will Kosaku's burgeoning feelings for the young nun undermine his ability to concentrate on training, fighting and binge eating?



Tags: Shounen , Boxing , Nun , Male Protagonist , Primarily Adult Cast

Rough

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Romance , Sports

Yamato Keisuke, a promising freestyle swimmer, and Ninomiya Ami, a talented diver, are the offspring of two rival families owners of confectionery shops. Two generations ago, Grandfather Ninomiya came up with an idea for an owl-shaped cake, but Grandfather Yamato quickly raised to the challenge and thought of a similar cake--but in Yamato's the owl had ears. Because they're priced the same, Yamato's extra ears were crucial, and that made the business of the Ninomiya confectionery suffered. Grandfather Ninomiya then fell ill worrying about his shop. Before his death, his last words were "I was killed by the Yamatos", and since that moment the two families have been sworn rivals.

Tags: Swimming , School , Love Triangle , School Club , Shounen , Baseball

Ping Pong

Also known as Ping Pong.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Psychological , Sports

Makoto “Smile” Tsukimoto and his friend Yutaka “Peco” Hoshino have been playing table tennis since they were kids, but as they enter high school, they find that the game has changed. Seeing potential in them that they themselves don’t fully realize, the coach recruits them for the school team. Bringing out their best will mean challenging the top players from rival schools in the summer tournament, including an ace Chinese exchange student who almost made the Olympic team. With the pressure on, can Smile and Peco take the heat and make it into the finals?



Tags: Table Tennis , Coming of Age , Seinen , Philosophy , Male Protagonist , School Club , Teacher , School , Primarily Male Cast , Tragedy , Primarily Teen Cast , Bullying , Time Skip

Cross Game

Also known as Cross Game.

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Romance , Sports

Cross Game is a moving drama that is heartfelt and true, yet in the brilliant hands of manga artist Mitsuru Adachi, delightfully flows with a light and amusing touch. The series centers around a boy named Ko, the family of four sisters who live down the street and the game of baseball. This poignant coming-of-age story will change your perception of what shonen manga can be.



Tags: Shounen , Coming of Age , Tragedy , Baseball , Tsundere , School Club , Primarily Teen Cast , Primarily Male Cast , Male Protagonist , Heterosexual , School , Family Life , Tomboy , Time Skip , Love Triangle

Money Fight

Also known as Money Fight.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Sports

One social outcast unleashes a cross counter that will change the world! A raging storm of fighting action! Shotaro Mitarai has given up on life, but when he visits the great forests of Mt. Fuji to end it all, he's attacked by the Suicide Hunters. On the tip of a gruesome lynching and faced with a tragic death, the seeds of rage sprout within Shotaro! What course of action will he take from within the inferno of anger?! Awaken! Stand and fight! Let the gong of your soul sound true!



Tags: Boxing , Male Protagonist , Delinquents

Nozomi♡Witches

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Sports

Nozomi is a beautiful former actress who moves back to Japan from New Zealand. Upon arriving, she meets her fellow high school student neighbor Ryotaro. She then decides he needs to join the high school boxing club and helps him in his training.

Tags: Boxing , Seinen

Nine

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Romance , Sports

Right before track star Katsuya Nimi and judo champion Susumu Karasawa enter high school, they see a pretty girl crying as the school's baseball team loses yet another game. It turns out that she's Yuri Nakao, the baseball coach's beautiful daughter, who is worried because the team is in danger of closing down if the streak continues. Katsuya and Susumu decide to join the baseball team in hopes of helping them make it to Koshien. Things get more complicated, however, when Katsuya starts to fall for Yuri... but their budding romance is interrupted by a few potential rivals. Can Katsuya learn both how to win at baseball and at romance?

Note: Includes one-shots "Zoku Isourou yori Hitokoto" (続・居候よりひとこと) and "Koibito Sengen" (恋人宣言)

Tags: Shounen , Baseball , School , Love Triangle , School Club , Athletics